Cut Through the Pain
by GrouchyMcEyebrows
Summary: While studying in Russia, Yao comes across a boy in the snow. He didn't realise the trouble the boy was in before taking him home. Cocaine addicts usually come with trouble... Yao, Arthur, Ivan, Francis, Gilbert more human names used soz 4 fail summery
1. Chapter 1

Yao Wang was not very happy. In Fact he wasn't happy at all.

"Aiiyah! Whats with this cold Russian weather aru!?" Yao yelled into the snow covered night. He held onto a bag full ingredients to make a chicken and vegetable stir fry and continued to make his way through the snow.

Yao was a short man (Even though he was 19) with ash brown hair. He had let it grow out to just below his shoulders, despite his dad saying it made him look like a girl, and his soft brown eyes made him look younger then he actually was. No matter where he was or what situation he was in, Yao would wear traditional Chinese clothing. So even though it was below zero he was still wearing black slippers, ¾ length pants and a long sleeved top. Though to compromise with the cold weather he wore a long black coat.

"Aanhh..."

Yao paused and looked around. "What was that aru?" The Chinese man followed the groaning till he reached a small dark alley. Hidden by the shadows cast on him a boy lay in the snow groaning softly. Yao approached him cautiously and sniffed. 'Oh yuck..' His hand quickly went up to cover his nose and mouth. The boy smelt of urine, blood and, from what Yao could see, vomit. 'Great.' He thought before looking at the boys face.

He looked young, too young to be lying around in the streets covered in bodily fluids. Yao put his shopping down and crouched down next to the boys head. He blinked as he noticed the boys rather large eyebrows that were plastered on his face and he vaguely wondered if they were real. He watched his face, waiting to see if there was any life in it. He gently removed some bloodied hair from the boys face and watched the bruised cheek twitch. "Ah good you're alive aru." Yao smiled in relief. "Well i guess i can't leave you here alone in this snow aru." The boy's cheek twitched again.

Yao took off his black coat and gingerly wrapped it around the boy. The boy didn't wake but made small sounds every time Yao moved him. Somehow Yao managed to carry the boy in his arms and carry his shopping at the same time. 'Thank goodness my apartment isn't too far from here.'

Just as Yao reached his apartment door he felt the boys body jerk. "huh? W-what?" He asked just as the boy squirmed out of his grasp and landed on the floor. "H-hey aru!" Yao got out before the boy puked over the front door step. "Aw no all over the front door! The land lady won't be pleased aru..." The boy seemed oblivious to the Chinese mans complaining as he continued to puke over the door step.

"F-fuck.." The boy muttered.

When the boy was just dry heaving Yao attempted to get him inside again. The boy blinked large, confused green eyes as Yao led him inside. "Don't worry aru," Yao smiled "I'm here to help you aru!" The boy blinked slowly but nodded and went with him to the bathroom. Yao supported him most of the way as the boy didn't seem able to walk properly. Once in the bathroom Yao set the boy down on the floor and nodded to the shower.

"I'm going to go ..clean up and then start dinner aru," Yao stated, ''You can use the shower to clean yourself... and i'll bring you some spare clothes." The boy nodded and looked up at Yao.

"Umm th-thanks.." He said softly. Yao nodded before leaving the boy to shower.

Yao closed the bathroom door and headed to his to find some new clothes for his 'guest'. "Hah... i only have clothes from home aru." He looked through and found a shirt and pants that look similar to his... but blue. "I think it should fit him.. he looked about my height.. maybe a little taller aru." Yao winced and smelt his own clothes. "Mmm maybe i should change too aru." He said out loud.

Once changed he grabbed the clothes for his 'guest' as well as a towel and went back to the bathroom. Yao heard the shower running so he decided to knock first.

"C-come in," The voice was slightly louder then when Yao had heard him speak the first time. Yao walked in and glanced at the shower. The boy sitting in was far more bruised then Yao had first thought. His chest was coloured purple and a slight dent indicated that one of the ribs might have been broken. His right cheek was big and swollen and his left foot looked larger then it should have. Yao was pretty sure an ankle shouldn't have been able to twist that far.

"Oh i brought you some new clothes to wear and a towel aru," Yao smiled, trying his best to ignore the wounds and lay them next to the sink. The boy nodded from his seat on the floor of the shower. Yao smiled as he noticed the boy was still wearing his underwear in the shower. Was he that sensitive about his body? It was then that Yao realised he didn't know what had happened to the boy before he saw him. For all he knew the boy could have been raped and left in the snow to die.

"Hey are y-you ok?" Yao was snapped back by the boys concerned voice.

"Oh! S-sorry i got distracted aru!" Yao laughed nervously and opened the door again. "W-well keep washing and i hope the clothes fit you aru!" And with that he closed the door and sighed. "Well i guess it's onto the nest task aru."

Yao was soon finished cleaning the puke on his front door and was working on getting the heater going in the living room. The apartment was small and heated up fast how ever the heater, he discovered, was temperamental. After some yelling and 'Aiiyah's' from the Chinese man the heater finally decided to work and started to pump out heat. "Can't best me aru!" He announced in triumph.

It was around that time that he realised the shower had stopped running. There was a few thumps and what he thought was curses before he heard the door open. Yao stepped out into the hall way to see the boy limping down the hall way. Yao chuckled, he had been right,the clothes were a little too small. The boy blushed when he looked up at Yao. "Oh umm thanks again.." He said and winced as he stood on his bad foot. Yao stepped forward and offered his hand.

The boy looked a little flustered but he reluctantly took the hand. Yao let the boy lean on him and led him to the dinning room/kitchen and allowed him to sit down. "Is there anything i can get you to drink aru?" The boy looked up with a small spark in his eye.

"Tea, if you please," Yao blinked. Not only had he spoken with a clear voice but he'd also talked in a polite way and with a British accent to boot!

"S-sure aru!" He smiled and turned on the kettle. Once the water was boiling he started to unpack the ingredients for his stir fry. As he chopped the vegetables, Yao decided to find out more about the boy. "So, He started. "What's your name? Mines Wang Yao," The boy watched him.

"My name is.. Arthur K-kirkland," He licked his lips and smiled. "Thank you... for saving my sorry ass.. out in the snow." Yao grinned at the Brits use of language. "I guess.. i owe you an ..ow, an explanation" He muttered drawing in a painful breath and ran a hand through his messy hair. Yao nodded and chuckled.

"You can tell me why later, now i'm making stir fry aru." The Chinese man grinned and placed the vegetables in a wok with some sauce. Arthur watched him curiously as Yao continued to cut up vegetables before starting on the chicken. One everything was in the wok, Yao grabbed the kettle and poured the water into a mug. "I hope this tea is ok aru." He said as he put the tea bag into the water and placed it in front of Arthur. The boy looked down at the mug and pulled it closer to him.

Yao smiled and went back to his stir fry. It was soon cooked and served into the two bowls and one was placed in front of the Brit. "Dig in aru" Yao said as he started to eat his. Arthur took a small bite of a cooked carrot before tucking into it heartily. Yao paused eating to watch Arthur eat his. "If you eat too fast you'll be sick again aru," Yao warned.

Arthur swallowed his mouthful and nodded. "Sorry... i haven't had a proper meal in ... i can't remember when." Arthur smiled apologetically.

"No need to say sorry, it's not your fault aru." Yao ate another mouthful. Arthur finsihed his bowl and and started to drink his tea. Yao soon finished his meal then collected their plates and placed them in the sink. "Ok, come into the living room and we can talk about you aru." He said softly. Arthur nodded and slowly stood up. Yao offered his hand again and this time Arthur took it without making a fuss.

Once in the living room, Yao set Arthur down on the couch and elevated his foot. "That looks bad, it will probably take a few weeks to heal aru." Yao started as he inspected the foot. Arthur nodded and wrapped his arms around his chest shivering.

"oh.. god Yao can you please-!" Arthur covered his mouth and leaned over the side of the couch. Yao was up and running before Arthur could finish his sentence. He ran to the closet and grabbed a bucket, swiftly returning to place the bucket underneath the Brit's head. Puke was dripping between his fingers and his eyes were squeezed shut at the feeling.

"Remove you hand i have brought a bucket aru," Yao said gently. Arthur did as he said and puked up the stir fry that Yao had made earlier. Yao left the boy to continue emptying his stomach into the bucket while he went and got another towel and a glass of water. When he returned Arthur was curled up on the floor shivering. Yao stepped over and stroked the mans head gently. "Can you hear me aru?" Arthur nodded and grasped at his hand. "I'm going to get you a blanket aru." Yao pulled his hand gently away and left the glass of water next to Arthur's head before leaving again.

Yao soon came back with a blanket and wrapped the boy in it. He was still shivering but not as badly as before now. Yao wet the towel a little and began to wipe around Arthur's mouth and hand. Arthur smiled great fully and closed his eyes. Yao made sure that Arthur's mouth was completely clean before ruffling his hair.

"Just rest tonight and we'll talk again tomorrow aru." Yao smiled and stood up.

"mm ..o..k ...n-night." Arthur whispered. Yao nodded and left the bucket nearby in case he felt ill again. He changed into his pj's and then slipped into his bed. He couldn't wait to go home and back into his own bed. With a yawn Yao slowly drifted off into sleep, fortunate that he didn't hear Arthur throwing up again.


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter includes- Flashbacks, Ivan, France being a dick and a pretty good offer ;D Enjoy! **

Chapter 2

Yao was woken early to the sounds of yelling from downstairs. Stumbling quickly out of bed Yao made his way through the hall into the living room. The blonde boy who had seemed so quiet and sad yesterday was standing over the fire screaming words that Yao didn't even know existed.

"Bloody fucking Franics! when I get my hands on him I'll fucking rip his eyes out and shove them up his sorry excuse for a fucking ass!" His eyes blazed with anger as he grabbed a pillowed and threw it hard against the wall. Yao watched the display with a mixture of horror and confusion and wondered how he could intervene without getting hurt. Arthur turned to see Yao standing at the door, a look of confusion on his face. "You! Have you seen him?! Do you see them!?" Arthur began to storm over to him, ignoring his sprained ankle.

"No, I don't don't know where he is," Yao said calmly, glad that the puke bucket was still standing up straight. "N-now please stay calm and sit down aru." Arthur paused as if seeing Yao for the first time.

"Y-you're not him," His face changed from anger to sorrow. "Oh god I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, oh god, oh hell!" Yao watched him break down and cry again.

"What happened aru?" Yao asked and led Arthur back to the couch. The Brit let Yao lead him back and sat down, picking the blanket off the floor and wrapping it around himself again.

"Th-they told me... They told me he was here..." Arthur whispered and started sobbing. "I didn't want to go through it again!" He broke down on the couch and cried loudly while Yao sat next to him and rubbed his back.

"Shh, it's ok, you're safe here aru," He said, in what he thought was a comforting voice. "Just relax... would you like some more tea aru?" Arthur nodded and hugged the blanket around himself more tightly. Yao left the boy,taking the puke bucket with him, and headed to the kitchen. While the water was starting to boil, he emptied out the bucket in the laundry sink. Once it was clean he returned to the kitchen and finished making Arthur's tea. When he brought the tea and bucket back into the living room he found Arthur next to the dying fire. "Here aru," He smiled and handed Arthur the cup of tea and placed the bucket next to him. Arthur took the cup and held it close enjoying the warmth.

Yao grabbed some more logs and added them to the fire, pleased when it started to burn again. Arthur stayed near the fire, his sad expression fading to one of nothing. Yao sat down in front of him next to the fire. "Do you feel better now aru?" The Chinese man asked. Arthur nodded and looked down into his tea, his eyes very red.

"I-I bet you want to know now? About w-why I'm acting like this..." He took a small sip of his tea and set the cup down on the floor. Yao's eyes hardened and he frowned slightly.

"That is up to you, of course I'd be interested to know why I had to save you from the snow.. but if its too much don't bother aru." He stated flatly. Arthur slowly nodded and took his proposal into consideration but in the end he decided yes.

"I owe you an explanation..."

* * *

"Hey Arthur you awake yet?" An annoying French accent asked from a distance. Arthur heard the voice but the best he could do in the way of answers was a groan. Where ever Francis was Arthur couldn't tell. All he knew was that his legs were cold and his hips hurt... Damn. "I'll take that as a yes..." He heard Francis reply to his groan before the smell of smoke filled his nostrils.

"Fran..Francis are y-you smoking...?" Arthur didn't like when Francis smoked around him, it made him want one too and just when he thought he had quit! Slowly and painfully, Arthur lifted his head and looked around the room. He was in what he assumed was the living room but he didn't recognise it.

"Sorry Arthur, I just needed to calm down," The older man said from his hidden location. "I'm keeping out of your way while I'm doing it though so don't worry." Arthur tried to sit up but pain in his lower back prevented it so he settled for rolling over onto his side.

"Why do...you need to calm....down?" He asked, his mind had no quite caught up wit his actions as he was still moving slowly and sluggishly. Arthur looked down at his body and was surprised when he saw his arm swollen. 'Shit, Francis gave me more cocaine...' He thought, panic starting to set in. The pain he could feel was starting to escalate as his senses returned to a relatively normal state. He managed to notice that Francis was talking but hadn't heard a word he'd said. "Sorry..can you repeat that?" He asked, rubbing his arm. He heard Francis sigh loudly from where ever he was.

"I said, we're having guests over today... and I needed to calm down before they arrive." Arthur frowned, his rather large eye brows furrowed deeply. He needed to calm down before they had guests? It led him to believe that this trip to Russia had an underlying motive. Why Russia? Why not America (Even though he hated the place) but why did Francis insist on Russia? It seemed so silly but spontaneous... Of course Arthur had probably been high when Francis asked so he'd said yes to Russia. He was about to voice his thoughts when he heard footsteps coming towards him. Arthur craned his neck up to see where his French lover was coming from but still couldn't find him.

"Where are you?" He asked and tried to roll over onto his back. A pair of hands held him however and rolled him back onto his stomach. "Francis? What are you doing?" Arthur's voice sounded slightly higher. He didn't get an answer but the two hands seem more then eager to show him. They slid down his sides, delicately tracing his ribs and bones that seem to stick out of his body in an unhealthy manor. "Fr-Francis don't we have guests coming?" Arthur could feel his face growing hotter at the touches.

"Yes Mon Cher.. but not for an hour or so," Francis seemed determined to have his way with Arthur before who ever was coming would actually arrive and Arthur was too out of it to argue. Francis leaned over and licked up Arthur's ear, eliciting a small moan from the boy. Francis knew that Arthur wouldn't be able to fight him off, not after sex and a couple of shots. He needed Arthur to be mellow when the guests came... or at least unable to make a fuss.

Arthur was getting annoyed, not only was there guests coming but he was half naked and Francis was feeling him up again. "Francis please stop." This time it was stronger. He felt the hands hesitate and then disappear. Arthur let out a sigh of relief "Thanks, listen i-if it's not to much trouble-" A sharp pain erupted in the back of his head as his vision slowly faded to black.

"Wake him up for me, da" What was that voice? Russian?

Arthur flinched as a something slapped him across the cheek. "He's not waking up hit him again." This time the slap was harder and Arthur forced himself to open his eyes. A pair of pale red eyes were starring back at him, while the mans face was set in a cruel smirk.

"Wake up sleepin' beauty," The smirk widened as he pulled Arthur up into a sitting position. Arthur was still feeling woozy from earlier and then it hit him. Where was France? He looked around but all he saw was the albino man who'd slapped him, a girl with pale blonde hair and angry looking eyes and one other man who was smiling at him in an almost child like manor.

"Where... Francis...?" He rasped. The albino laughed at him.

"Poor fool, doesn't even realised he's been played!"

"Shut up Gilbert, we're not here to judge, we're just for the money." The girl spoke up. Gilbert pouted.

"Da, thats right, Francis has left a rather large bill." Bill? Bill for what? Arthur must have looked as confused as he felt because the large smiling man turned back to him. "The cocaine you two have been enjoying, is my own blend." Arthur could only stare.

"W-what does this... have to do with...F-francis not being...h-here?" He asked, starting to feel afraid of the smiling man. This earned him a snort from the albino, otherwise known as Gilbert.

"What does this have to do with Francis?' Thats cute, look, you seem like a nice kid so I'll let you in on a secret."

"Gilbert, telling him is pointless," Another girl appeared from the door way, though this one had long, wavy brown hair. Gilbert shrugged and returned his gaze to Arthur.

"Listen kid, Francis has racked up a huge debt, according to Roderich its reached 60 734 pounds and he left a note saying that you either paid the debt or you were the payment, Get it now?"

Arthur's eyes widened in horror. Had he heard them right? Francis had sold him to the drug dealer? The large Russian man was giggling, "His expression is priceless, da but we should really hurry this up we have another shipment to make."

"Yes Ivan." Gilbert stepped forward and grabbed a handful of Arthur's messy blonde hair and pulled him up. "You got till tomorrow morning to come up with 60 734 pounds or we'll be back for you." Arthur nodded numbly, unable to say a word in response. Gilbert smirked and threw him back on the ground, proud of his handiwork.

"To make sure you know we're serious, Gilbert...you know what to do, da?" Ivan smiled down on Arthur, his eyes filled with a childlike cruelty. Gilbert nodded and pulled back his foot. Arthur didn't have time to register what was happening before a boot slammed into his ribs and sent him crashing into the wall. Pain bloomed in his chest and he groaned loudly. However this didn't stop Gilbert from assaulting him with kicks or the sound of Ivan's laughter from reaching his ears. Of course it was only a matter of time before he was blessed with darkness again.

Arthur woke up alone this time, much to his relief. He felt sore all over, turned out that the albino hadn't only kicked his chest and gut but also the right side of his face. He looked back at his ribs and saw that one of them looked slightly damaged but he decided if he could still move then it wasn't serious. His first thought was 'Escape,' and it had to be soon. With a loud groan Arthur managed to move onto all fours and crawl towards the bedroom. It was the last place he wanted to be but he needed clothing. Just pants weren't going to get him far in the cold Russian weather.

Much to his disgust Francis' clothes were missing. A sudden anger burned inside of him. "Francis that bastard! That fucking bastard!" Arthur screamed his name among a string of curses and pounded his fists against the walls. He ignored the pain or his aching body and continued to abuse the walls till his his hands were swollen and tears were running down his cheeks. "How could he!" He cried. "How could he fucking do this to me?!"

The anger gave Arthur strength and helped him to find enough clothes to call warm before leaving the apartment. He had no money, he had known this for a while now. After Francis got him addicted to cocaine he'd lost his job and spent all his money on getting more. He couldn't help himself he... needed it. It made him happy and took him away from reality. He still hated needles. No matter how many times he injected it, Arthur would shiver when the needle when into his arm.

Arthur grabbed the door handle and yanked it open, almost scared he'd find the Russian and his friends waiting outside. Fortunately they weren't and he was able to make his escape fairly easily. With a moment of fore sight, Arthur stumbled back into the apartment and rummaged through everything till he found his passport and wallet. (Despite there being no money in it) Now that he was all set, he hurried downstairs and onto the cold streets.

He had been running (Or rather,walking fast) for a few minutes now and everything seemed to be working properly. The cold was beginning to numb out any pain he might have had, much to his relief. Of course this was the case till a car drove by. Frightened it might be Ivan or one of his crew, Arthur jumped and slipped on the snow covered pavement. The car drove past without so much as a honk and continued off into the snow. Arthur on the other hand was cursing himself for his paranoia and tried to stand up. "Fuck!" He hissed with pain. His ankle had twisted itself when he landed awkwardly on the pathway. "This is all I need." He muttered darkly and continued down the street limping.

It was getting darker and Arthur was now both completely lost and at a loss about what to do. He couldn't go to the police station. For all he knew Ivan controlled it. There was no one back home that he could call for help which left him stranded in Russia with no food, water, money or friends. "And now I'm going to be sick..." Arthur growled as a wave of nausea washed over him and hobbled to the nearest alley way before emptying his stomach onto the floor and himself. Arthur collapsed on the ground and sighed. Why should he continue? Why when he had nothing to live for should he continue living? The snow was starting to block out the pain again. Arthur smiled, maybe he could freeze to death then he wouldn't be good to any body. Yeah, that seemed like a plan. The best part was he didn't need to do anything, just lie there and wait. "Good bye world..." He mumbled as for the third time that day, darkness took over his vision.

* * *

"And then when I woke up I was puking on your door step." Arthur finished and drank what was left of his tea. His uncertain green eyes looked up at Yao, waiting for a response.

Yao wasn't sure what to say. All he had determined from Arthur's story was that 1. He was drug addict and 2. He was wanted by a drug dealer. The Chinese man weighed his options silently to himself and when he came to a decision he looked back up at Arthur, surprised to see him crying.

"I'm s-sorry," He sobbed softly, drawing the blanket around him tighter. "I didn't mean to be so much t-trouble, I... I don't know what to do anymore!" The sobs had turned into full blown crying in a matter of seconds Yao quickly crawled over and pulled Arthur into a hug, to which the boy in his arms promptly returned. Yao smiled and stroked his messy, blonde hair carefully.

"You're not too much trouble, but please calm down I have something to ask you aru." Yao used his sleeves to wipe away the tears and snot on the Brit's face. "Take a few deep breathes aru" Yao coaxed him. Arthur nodded and took a few shaky breathes till he could breath normally.

"Ok good, Arthur do you want to give up drugs aru?" Yao asked him seriously. Arthur nodded eagerly. "The I am willing... To take you back to China with me to help you aru." Arthur's eyes widened considerably, his mouth dropped and his grip on the Chinese man tightened.

"Are you serious? You would go that far to help a complete stranger? I'm not hallucinating am i? Oh god I must be, no one has ever been this nice to me." Arthur shook his head, he couldn't believe that he was getting such an offer. Yao frowned and rubbed his shoulders reassuringly.

"Of course I'm telling the truth! Arthur, I really do think that you're not bad when you're not on drugs and I would feel bad if I knew you were out there being... 'payment' aru," Yao looked at the fire. "It's not right to treat humans like objects aru..." The Chinese man started to get a far away look in his eyes, remembering that his parents never treated him like a son, only a tool. He came back when he felt Arthur shaking him, looking up at him with large worried eyes. "I'm fine, aru" He assured him. "But what is your decision? I must know so I can get you a ticket aru."

Arthur didn't need to told twice, he looked up at Yao eagerly. "Yes, thank you Yao, so much." He started to cry again but this time he was happy. Yao smiled and hugged Arthur again, feeling glad he could be important to another human being.

* * *

**Yeah, second chapter woo! :D sorry it's taking so long but I'm in the process of writing four other stories besides this one plus university! And could I ask that anyone who is reading this story to review and tell me who you think is top and bottom between China and England? Pretty please? **


	3. Chapter 3

Yao lay Arthur to rest in his own bed (Bucket and tea included) and started to clean the rest of the house. They would be departing the next morning and Yao didn't like to leave a mess if he could help it. Arthur had offered to help but Yao turned him down and asked him to stay in bed. "You'll need your strength, aru." He had told him.

Yao was a quick and efficient worker, soon having the floors and the windows clean. Next was the bathroom he smiled, pleased with his progress. Yao hitched up his pants and got to work scrubbing the inside of the shower which included some of the mess Arthur had left in there the night before. Once the shower was clean Yao turned to find Arthur's clothes in a semi neat pile on the floor. The Chinese man tentatively picked the clothes up to move them when something fell out of the pockets. Yao bent over to pick up a wallet and passport, surprised to see that the wallet was covered in unicorns and fairies. He stifled laughter at the obscene design and placed the objects on the sink counter and continued to clean the bathroom, occasionally laughing at the wallet again.

Stepping out of the bathroom half an hour later, Yao was rather exhausted and messy. His clothes were wet in some places and his hair was out of place. In the end he untied his hair and let it fall around his shoulders. Yao checked in on Arthur a couple of times during the day. The first time he was vomiting and the second time he was asleep. Yao thanked the gods that Arthur had finally gone to sleep. He had suspected that the boy hadn't actually slept that night from the look of his eyes, as they had been hollow and dark.

He pulled the blanket further around Arthur's chest and left him to sleep the day away. Yao had just finished cleaning the bathroom mirror when a knock sounded on his door. Yao wasn't sure who would be knocking on the door, as he didn't exactly have any friends in Russia. "Must be the landlady aru," He mumbled and washed his hands. Wouldn't do to look too messy in front of the landlady. Who ever was on the other side of the door knocked again, causing Yao to scowl at the door. "Coming aru!" He yelled from down the hall. The person knocking didn't seem as patient as the landlady as they continued knocking until Yao reached the door and unlocked it.

Yao opened the front door to his apartment unprepared for the shock that waited for him. Standing on his doorstep was the large Russian that Arthur had run from, Ivan Braginski. Yao quickly kept the surprise off his face and bowed his head slightly. 

"Good afternoon, is there anything I can help you with aru?" He asked, keeping his voice polite.

"Da," Ivan smiled down at Yao. "I'm looking for a man with blonde hair and … large eyebrows, you haven't seen anyone like this around the neighborhood have you?" Yao shook his head.

"No I'm afraid I haven't aru, if you're looking for someone why not try the police station." He tried not to, but he couldn't keep the anger out of his voice. After hearing what this man planned to do to Arthur, another human being, Yao just couldn't stand it.

"Oh, I have upset you da?" The Russian nodded sadly. "I do not like to upset people, especially pretty looking people like you." Yao was taken aback by the sudden comment, unsure how to react.

"I um… I …thank you, aru," The smaller man mumbled. "I'm rather busy right now so I really need to go." Yao tried to shut the door on Ivan but the Russian was having none of that. The door stopped on a rather large boot, which had lodged itself in the doorway, preventing Yao from keeping Ivan out.

"I wanted to talk with you longer, da." Ivan pushed the door open with no real effort and stepped into Yao's apartment.

"W-what are you doing? I did not invite you into my home now please leave aru!" Yao started to worry, if Ivan found out that Arthur was here then he wasn't sure what he could do. Ivan simply smiled and watched Yao with a curiosity that could only be described as child like. It wasn't pleasant. Yao found he'd backed up into the hall, knowing that his bedroom was at the end of it, he couldn't move back any further. He flinched as a gloved hand stroked his cheek, then pulled some of his hair into a bunch. Ivan leaned forward and kissed the small bundle of hair.

"It's very soft, da." He whispered, moving closer to Yao.

"Pl-please leave," Yao tried again, the man was so intimidating it made it hard for his order to be taken seriously.

"I want to stay here a little longer, won't you let me da?"

Yao wanted to say no but when he looked up, there was such malice in his eyes that if he said no; Yao knew it would be the last thing he ever said. It was fortunate that moment that he was saved by someone else appearing at the door.

"Ivan!" Said Russian turned around to see his sister standing at the door. Natalia stood with her hands on her hips, jealousy evident in her eyes. She would have looked cute in her silver dress complete with Lolita shoes and bow if it hadn't been for her angry face. "Ivan," She repeated softer this time. "We found a lead but we need to go now." As she said the last part, she glared harshly at Yao. Ivan sighed sadly and let Yao go, returning to the doorway.

"I'll perhaps see you later da?" Ivan smiled, the danger that Yao had seen in his eyes just before was now gone. Ivan and Natalia turned and left Yao standing in his house feeling vulnerable and small.

He was still standing in the hall, staring at the door when Arthur came up behind him. "Y-Yao? Was that..? Was that him?" His voice was small and hoarse from vomiting. Yao turned to him and nodded.

"I didn't tell him you where here aru..." Yao whispered, as he didn't trust his voice not to give away how he felt at that moment. He could hear Arthur slowly walk towards him, his steps hesitant, as the front door was still open.

"We'll be out of here by tomorrow..." The Brit smiled, though it looked alien on his pale face. "Th-then he won't be able to go near y-you." Yao flicked his head to the side to see that Arthur was on the verge of tears again. "W-won't be able to..." Yao's heart went out to the English boy and he stepped towards him to bring him into a gentle hug. Arthur buried his face into the crook of Yao's neck, sobbing loudly. Yao ran his fingers through the messy blonde spikes, in hopes that Arthur would calm down.

"Don't worry about me, he didn't bother me on bit aru." Yao smiled and turned Arthur around, promptly pushing him back to the bedroom. "And you still need to rest, I'm not done cleaning just yet. When I finish I'll bring you some food aru." Arthur limped back to the bed and tucked himself in.

"I um... Ok." The Brit nodded. Yao waited at the door till Arthur closed his eyes and started to sleep again. The Chinese man then returned to cleaning, making sure to shut and lock the front door first. He didn't want any more unexpected visits.

It was around one by the time Yao finished cleaning the major areas of the house. He tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear and hitched up his sleeves. Time to make lunch! He opted for a simple soup from one of the cans that he had bought on a whim at some point. 'Must have been that time I got a cold,' Yao nodded as he opened a can of chicken soup for Arthur and a vegetable soup for himself.

He had almost finished cooking the soups when limped footsteps in the hall alerted him to Arthur's presence. He looked up to meet a pair of emerald eyes and smiled. "Arthur you're just in time, aru" He pointed to a seat at the small table. Arthur didn't speak but nodded in acknowledgment before taking his place at the table. Yao poured the chicken soup into a small white bowl and placed it in front of Arthur with a spoon. "Please dig in Arthur." Yao told him as he poured out his own soup. Arthur eyed the soup and picked up the spoon.

Yao joined him at the table, spooning the soup into his mouth ravenously. He had been working hard all morning and the result was a rather large appetite. Arthur on the other hand had hardly touched his food, opting to slosh it around with his spoon instead. Yao frowned and tapped the side of Arthur's bowl with his spoon. "You should really eat something Arthur, if you feel sick again it's better to vomit food and not bile aru." Arthur looked up at him, then back down at the soup and took a small sip from his spoon.

"It tastes good..." He smiled shyly and had another spoonful before he had to look away. Yao understood what he meant and stood up. The bucket was still in the bedroom when Yao grabbed it but Arthur wasn't in the kitchen when he returned. He found the blonde leaning over the toilet bowl (That he had cleaned) heaving the small amount of soup and bile into the water.

Yao walked over and rubbed circles on Arthur's back, sighing deeply. "I'm sorry aru... I just wanted you to get better." Arthur pulled his head out of the toilet and looked up at Yao.

"Please, don't feel bad you are right. I did need to eat otherwise this would be a lot more-" Arthur paused to once again puke into the toilet. When he finished he took a few moments to get his breath back. "This would have been more painful." Yao still didn't feel well about it though.

"I still have some more cleaning to do, but it involves the bedroom, so I hope if it wouldn't be much trouble, if you could move to the couch aru?" He asked, feeling slightly awkward. Truthfully he wanted Arthur to be as comfortable as possible and the couch wasn't that comfortable (Not that the bed was much better). Still, Arthur fell straight asleep thanks to his sickly condition and Yao was able to complete cleaning the remaining portion of the house.

It was early even when Arthur woke up again. Yao had cooked another stir-fry, this time with a different oyster sauce and no meat. He needed to get rid of as much food as he could, seeing as tomorrow he'd be throwing it out. Arthur limped into the kitchen and waited at the doorway, watching as Yao scooped the stir-fry into two bowls. "Ah! You're awake, I was just coming to get you aru." Yao beamed and placed the bowls down on the table in the same arrangement as earlier. Arthur made his way slowly to the table and sat down, wincing only slightly.

The stir-fry was very delicious even if Arthur didn't eat all of it. Once dinner was finished Yao collected the plates and placed them by the sink. "I'll do them." He looked up at the Brit who had stood and was making his way over to the sink.

"Please don't feel obligated to do this aru" Yao was worried that Arthur might not be up to washing dishes. Arthur smiled and shook his head.

"It's the least I can do, so please, I want to help out." Yao looked at the dishes then at Arthur, still unsure on how washing dishes might affect the blonde. Arthur looked so determined to do the small task Yao couldn't very well say no could he?

"You can do the dishes... But stop if you start to feel sick ok aru?" Arthur nodded before taking his place at the sink. Yao stood back and watched Arthur carefully, ready to step in should Arthur tire.

"Honestly Yao I am capable of doing the dishes without a chaperon." Arthur clucked his tongue as he scrubbed the wok hard. "I've worked when feeling worse before." Yao smiled and sat down.

"Sorry Arthur, its just with what I've seen today you're quite... Weak." He admitted. Arthur frowned, his large eyebrows furrowing towards the center of his face and went back to scrubbing. Yao played with the hem of his top and watched Arthur until the dishes where covered in suds and drying on the other side of the sink. "See? All done." Arthur winced and wiped his hands on his pants.

"You shouldn't push yourself when you're obviously ill aru." Yao stated as he stood up. "Now I think you should rest, you can take the bed-"

"N-no! You should sleep in your own bed, I don't mind taking the couch-"

"Its fine I don't mind giving up my bed for one night-"

"Please it would be ungentlemanly for me to take your bed when you've done so much for me-"

"Ok, I'll compromise, how about we both share the bed? This way I can make sure you're alright through the night aru." Yao offered his arm to Arthur who looked at it skeptically before taking it. Yao could tell this more confident Arthur was quite prideful and not used to asking others for help. He smiled as Arthur limped to his bedroom with barely a complaint beside the odd grunt or whine. It did, however, take longer to get Arthur changed and ready for bed.

The British boy insisted that he do it by himself without any help. Yao had watched, amused as Arthur slowly squirmed out of his pants and into the new ones provided. He chose not to wear a top so that he didn't dirty any more of Yao's clothing, even though Yao had said he didn't mind. The Chinese man was worried that without a top on Arthur would get too cold at night. Russia was even colder when the sun went down.

Arthur slipped into the left side of the bed and sighed. Yao turned the light off and made his way to the bed in the darkness. He had done this so many times that he knew where everything was even with the light off. He could see the dark shape of Arthur lying still in his bed, his chest rising and falling ever so slightly. Yao could feel nothing but pity for the boy lying in his bed but tomorrow morning they would be gone and he would be able to help Arthur beat his addiction. Of course, he would have to research about how to do this. Yao wasn't a doctor nor a psychologist so looking after some one like this was all new to him.

Yao couldn't help but move closer to Arthur, the bed was too small not too and he was sure that his body warmth would be good for Arthur who had started to shiver again. Arthur responded to the warmth by moving closer to Yao. Whether it was conscious movement or not Yao wasn't sure, but it would be good for Arthur to stay warm in his condition. The Brit mumbled in his sleep, something about fairies, and then fell silent again. Yao raised an eyebrow at the mutterings and sighed. It was most likely going to be a long night.

**I'm sorry it took so long to get this up . I had exams but now I'm finished so hopefully I'll be able to get up the more interesting chapters done! :D Cause soon we get into the madness~!**

**Yes, Ivan is creepy (I still love him) And you'll most likely only see him once more in this story… then he won't be back until the second half where his part will be greater. **

**Sorry for it's shortness and… irrelevance, I just needed Ivan to pop up and Arthur's angry personality needed to make it's appearance. Um thanks for reading! : D**


	4. Chapter 4

A low beeping noise located by the bed woke Yao up early the next morning. The Chinese man rolled over, irritated to discover the time was no later then 4:31 am. Of course, he had set the clock to go off at that time but it didn't make it any less frustrating. Yao slowly sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes as he did so. The room around him was dim and uninteresting; the same every time he had woken up in Russia. Yao truly couldn't wait to go back home, he missed his old room so much.

It was about then that Yao realized he couldn't hear anyone else but himself in his room. Had it been his imagination or had he let Arthur stay in his bed last night? He was absolutely positive that he had but if that was the truth then where was Arthur? Yao untied his hair and let it fall, messily, around his shoulders as he made his way out of the bedroom and down the hall.

Arthur wasn't in the bathroom, toilet or lounge room. This only left the kitchen, as Yao highly doubted that Arthur would be in the laundry. Panic rose in his chest, making him feel fear at what he might find in the kitchen. It was probable that Ivan had come back during the night and found Arthur. It was possible to kill someone without a sound.

The sound of something breathing heavily allowed Yao a small moment of relief. He could only hear one person in his kitchen and one person was all he wanted to hear. However upon entering the kitchen he was greeted by perhaps a worse sight. Arthur was seated at the table, his eyes listless and blank as he stared at a patch on the wall. His face was pale and his hair even messier then Yao's, while a small line of drool shined in the light coming from through the window. From the looks of it, Arthur had been there a long time.

"Arthur?" Yao whispered, refraining from turning on the lights in case it upset him. "Arthur aru." He tried a little louder when he failed to receive a response. The blond at the table turned his head slowly around to face him. Yao found the whole scene to be far too eerie for his liking, so he turned the lights on with no reservation.

Arthur hardly reacted to the lights being turned on. His eyes started to focus, like someone had thrown the 'on' switch in his brain while a hand went up to wipe away the drool on his chin. His face remained pale and ghost like even while life returned to his eyes and movement. Yao took a step closer to the Brit who was regarding him cautiously. "Are you awake now aru?" He asked tentatively. Arthur nodded once and looked back at the wall.

"I... I tried my best not to wake you when I left." Arthur licked his lips and wiped his chin again. "I couldn't sleep... And you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you." His gaze returned to Yao, his emerald colored eyes watching him and waiting for a response. Yao shook his head and smiled down at the Brit.

"I am a heavy sleeper, so you needn't worry about that but how long have you been down here aru?" Yao was curious to know. Arthur looked away again and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh... I think I came down here about... Two hours after you fell asleep?" He ran a hand through his hair and frowned. "Yuck my hair is oily." Yao laughed at Arthur's statement about his hair and moved to sit across from him. Arthur's eyes remained trained on him till they were looking directly into each other's eyes. Neither said a word for what seemed like an eternity before Yao broke the silence.

"You can shower while I pack. If you remember I said were leaving today aru." Arthur's eyes widened, amazement evident on his face.

"Wait, you're still taking me with you? You met Ivan yesterday. He's insane! You can't take me, he'll come after you!" Arthur stood and slammed his hands on the table. Yao ignored his outburst and continued to smile.

"I promised I would and I shall aru," Yao tugged on a strand of his own hair. "Besides I wouldn't leave you here with that insane man looking for you." Arthur looked touched by Yao's words, his eyes even looked less hostile now.

"You really mean that? Wow, that's... Thank you, I don't think I've ever had anyone care for me like you have... And we only just met." Yao chuckled at this.

"You are lucky that I am the one who found you aru, otherwise you could be a lot worse off." Arthur sniffed and nodded.

"You're right, I don't think any one else would have been as kind as you."

Yao knew what it meant to be alone in the world with no one to help. Arthur reminded him of his younger self, without the drugs though. He felt a bond with the younger boy who wanted to live but was having a hard time finding his place. Living could be a curse as well as a blessing.

"You should go shower now," Yao said suddenly, surprising Arthur again. "I will get you some new clothes then we need to leave aru." Arthur dipped his head in acknowledgment and left Yao alone to go shower. He really did need one.

Yao leaned back on the chair and gazed up at the ceiling. "Have I gotten myself into something I will regret later aru...?" He asked his subconscious. Of course, his mind had yet to think of an answer to his question and he doubted he would think of one any time soon. The sound of the pipes groaning as water rushed through them alerted Yao to the fact that Arthur was now in the shower, which meant he had to start packing. Why else would he wake up at 4:30 in the morning?

Packing didn't take long seeing as Yao hadn't brought much from home nor bought much while living in Russia. He didn't see the point of buying souvenirs from a country where he was studying and not enjoying. His parents could whine all they wanted but he wasn't getting them anything. The shower stopped abruptly down the hall and the sound of wet feet stomping onto the tiles was heard. Yao grabbed another one of his traditional Chinese garments to let Arthur wear, while keeping one out for him self.

Arthur had opened the door slightly so that Yao could pass the clothes through to him. Once Arthur was cleaned and dressed, Yao asked that he sit and wait in the lounge room for him to shower and get ready. The Brit didn't mind and was practically asleep the moment he lay on the couch. From the lack of sleep he had gotten Yao was hardly surprised.

The shower was well needed and very welcome on Yao's body. His washed his hair twice; once with shampoo, once with conditioner before giving his body an all over clean. It wouldn't do to be dirty for when he arrived home. Yao didn't bother to dry his hair after he got dressed and instead tied it back up into a ponytail. It would dry naturally soon enough anyway.

Arthur was sound asleep by the time he was finished. Yao smiled affectionately and covered him in a blanket, making sure to tuck him in tight. A cold wouldn't go down well with withdrawal symptoms. The last thing Yao needed to do was make breakfast, then he could call a cab and they could escape to the airport.

Yao kept the meal simple. Porridge with honey was the simplest thing he could think of while also being one of the last ingredients that he had lying around. The landlady would take any food he left behind in the apartment. When the porridge was done Yao returned to the lounge room to find Arthur still asleep. It pained him to wake the Brit but he had to eat... Even if he was just going to throw it back up afterwards.

It didn't take too long to get Arthur awake again; the smell of the porridge was enough to get him into the kitchen. Yao noticed that he was still limping quite a bit and helped Arthur to the table, despite his protests.

Breakfast was finished quickly and silently, though thankfully Arthur did not vomit afterwards. Yao let Arthur return to sleeping on the couch while he called a cab to come pick them up. With the cab on the way Yao did one last sweep of the apartment, making sure that he didn't forget anything before waking Arthur up for the third time. "We should wait outside aru," He suggested. "Don't worry I'll give you a hate an d scarf." He added when he saw the worried look cross Arthur's face.

While Arthur waited by the road with the suitcases, Yao returned the key to the landlady and thanked her profusely. She smiled kindly and waved him off. Yao hugged his jacket closer around him as he made his way back to the other. Six in the morning was still very cold.

Thankfully, no cars stopped and there were no shouts either as they waited. Their cab arrived on time and the two hurried in to get out of the cold, hugging their luggage on their laps. Yao gazed out the window and watched the white world pass by, looking back at Arthur every so often to make sure the blond was still calm. Arthur had buried his face into Yao's luggage and was groaning softly. Yao thought he might be carsick but nothing more came apart from the groaning.

"Pozhalui sta, ubeditesʹ, chto vash drug ne rvota," (Please make sure your friend doesn't vomit.) The cab driver growled from the front seat. Yao rubbed Arthur's back before replying.

"No, I'll make sure aru." The cab driver gave him a warning look through the rear view mirror but kept quiet.

Arthur tilted his head to the side to look up at Yao. "I didn't know you understood Russian." His voice held astonishment at this fact. Yao pulled his hand away and placed it in his lap.

"Well of course aru, if you were going to stay in another country for studying wouldn't you want to at least understand what the people were saying? It's the same as when I studied in America, I had to learn English aru." Arthur snorted and returned to hiding his face.

"As if Americans could teach you proper English." He muttered under his breath. Yao laughed and gave Arthur's back another pat.

"They taught me fine, however if you want to teach me properly I don't mind aru." Arthur turned back and grinned.

"Grand, when I am better I shall teach you the Queen's English."

"I'm looking forward to it aru."

The cab dropped them off at the airport entrance. Arthur unloaded their luggage while Yao paid the cab driver and thanked him. They were so close to freedom that Arthur was smiling along with Yao. It was a genuine smile this time, even his large eyebrows looked relaxed.

They went through the standard procedures for flying into another country. At one point Yao feared that Arthur wouldn't be let through, but they managed to convince the guards that Arthur wasn't ill from a virus of any sort. Now all they had to do was wait to board their plane.

"Sleduyushchii samolet statʹe v Pekin, Kitai v nastoyashchyee vremya posadka na vorotah 3," (The next plane heading to Beijing, China is now boarding at gate three) Yao looked up when the announcement was made.

"It's time for us to go now aru," Yao offered his arm to Arthur again, who was looking rather forlorn. His eyes shined with unshed tears as he looked up at Yao.

"Is it… Is it really ok for me to leave him like this?" Yao had a pretty good idea as to whom Arthur was referring.

"Arthur, you deserve better then that man and I've only known you for a short time aru." Yao dropped his bags and pulled Arthur into a tight hug. "You have the right to leave him here like he left you." He felt Arthur return the hug and grasp at his jacket, the Brit's shoulders shuddering as he tried his best to contain his tears. Yao made small circles with his hand, not letting go until the shuddering had subsided. Arthur gently pulled away and shot Yao a grateful smile.

"Thank you… Again." He whispered. Yao bent down to pick up his luggage.

"It's fine, now come on or we'll miss our plane aru!" The pair made their way hastily to gate three where they could finally escape from Russia.

*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*

"Brother why did you touch that Chinese man yesterday?" Natalia asked while sliding her index finger up and down one of her many knives.

"Because he intrigued me Natalia dear, why do you ask?" Ivan really wasn't in the mood to be arguing with Natalia over whom he chose to like. He swore she was too possessive even though they were siblings.

"But you don't need him!" She was whining now, puffing out her cheeks out like a child. "You have me... and your other subordinates, why do you need him?" Ivan smiled and patted her head.

"I know I do, but I also like this boy. I will not speak further on this topic with you dear sister." His smile held warning that Natalia recognized and listened to. She dropped the subject and instead turned to their group's current interest.

"What about that Arthur boy? Have the others found him yet?" Ivan shook his head and tapped his finger on the wall.

"No they haven't, which makes me wonder..."

"Wonder what?" Natalia was full of questions today.

"Whether Francis took him back or whether he was rescued by someone. This is possible da?" Ivan turned and started to walk down the hall in their house. He could hear Natalia's smaller steps following quickly behind him.

Gilbert and Elizaveta were out searching for their missing payment while Irene and Roderich were looking for the missing French man. If Francis really had come back to rescue his lover then they would both be in a world of hurt, Ivan would make sure of that. No one dared to cross Ivan Braginski.

His thoughts drifted back to the Chinese man. His pace slowed as he took the time to remember their encounter. How soft the man's hair was and how delicate he had looked. Just thinking about him made the Russian shiver in delight. If only he had asked his name, then he would be so much easier to track down. Natalia broke through his thoughts once again with a question.

"Brother, what are you thinking of? Is it the Chinese man again?" Ivan chose to ignore the question and instead quickened his pace.

"Dear sister, I asked that you do not ask me about that, you remember da?" She bit her lip and nodded. "Good, then I will not hear anything more on the matter." The large Russian had to make plans. Now that he had become intrigued in the man he wished to know more about him. It was about then that his mobile went off with a loud ring in his pocket. "Da?" He said into the receiver.

"Hey boss man, Gilbert here. We got something to report to yah." Gilbert's voice came through crackly on the line.

"What is it?" Ivan asked softly.

"We found out where that Kirkland kid is, but I'm afraid we're too late." Ivan felt a pang of annoyance. Had the payment died before they got a chance to obtain it? "When we couldn't find him we searched the plane terminal in case, you know, the French guy tried to pull a fast one on us and we saw the kid getting on a plane with some Chinese man. We had no idea he knew anyone else but that French guy. We weren't sure where it was going though but we're in the process of finding out."

Natalia stepped back from Ivan, fear flashed across her face as she regarded her boss in his silence. Ivan stood as still as stone, smiling at nothing in particular, but his hand however, was slowly crushing the phone in his hands till it snapped in two. Natalia gasped at the broken phone as Ivan let it fall to the floor. Ivan's entire being was quivering with furry as he strode back down the hall, beckoning Natalia to follow him.

"Natalia dear, I think it's time we did some investigating ourselves today da?"

*#*#*#*#*#*#*#

**Irene = Ukraine**

**That's probably about it. Next chapter should be more interesting I promise D: plus longer…**


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